NSCDC warns influential Nigerians against rape

The Commandant-General, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, has warned that any influential Nigerian caught for rape or sexual molestation would be promptly arraigned in court without delay.

He spoke through the Assistant Commandant-General of the corps, Barr. Augustine Obiekwe, during an interview with Daily Trust in Abuja yesterday.

Obiekwe, who heads the Citizens’ Integrity Department of the corps with the mandate of checking rape cases in the country, said the NSCDC would enforce the full wrath of law on anybody involved in rape, no matter highly placed.

He said the NSCDC and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) were working to reduce the prevalence of rape cases, child labour, human trafficking and other inhumane acts in the country.

“There is nothing like allowing the ‘big men’ going scot-free. You know the motto of the corps is “Defending the defenseless”, and so with that, we have it at the back of our minds that we don’t have room for exception or exempting anybody.

“Though, the ‘big men’ have their ways of clearing their tracks, I can tell you that except we don’t see them, if we see them, and we know about it, you know the corps is very hungry to project its name, once we see that, we will make arrests,” he said.

He added that the mandate of checking rape cases as directed by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, was based on its geometric increase in the country, adding that over 10 cases were recorded between June 4 and July 5 this year.

“We have our units, that is part of the structure, we also have our commands in various states of the federation, and each of these commands has an antihuman traffic unit and gender unit. We gave them a directive and they have been making arrests and prosecutions,” he added.